When you ask different people what their idea of a ‘fun activity’ is, you’ll probably get as many different answers as people you ask. A day of swimming in the ocean; a friendly game of softball; a couple of drinks with old friends; a party lasting long into the night. All of these activities are fun to some but not to others.
But, no matter who you are, we’re all looking for fun activities. Fortunately, when it comes to having fun -- more is available than ever before. So, it should be easy to think of something fun to do, right?
Well, you know that feeling you get when you finally get the chance to sit down and watch a movie and you can’t think of one to look up? There’s a bunch you’ve been meaning to watch -- but you just can’t remember what. Well, the same thing often goes for when we’re looking for fun activities.
Below, we’ve compiled a helpful list of fun activities that has something for everyone.
Fun Outdoor Activities
For the energetic, free-spirited, and sun-loving among us, the outdoors is where all the real fun happens. For some it’s easy just to step outside on a nice day and find something fun to do -- but it’s always great to have ideas to get your imagination running.
Here are some excellent ideas for what to do in the great outdoors.
Whenever you host a party there’s always that infamous next morning when you have to clean everything up. Well, with outdoor parties, cleanup is easier, and accidents are harmless. This allows for a more laid-back and fun party experience than you and your guest might otherwise have.
Adding to the fun is easy. All you need are a few things like a portable sound system, some fun disco lights, and, of course, refreshments.
Probably the most outdoorsy thing you can do, camping brings a lot of outdoor fun together all into one. You can go hiking in the morning, have a picnic in the afternoon, and make s'mores around a fire at night all without worrying about driving home after. Bring your family and your friends to enjoy all the great outdoors has to offer.
Quickly becoming a popular pastime, we probably all have at least one friend who has gone axe throwing. In fact, it’s growing so popular there’s even a worldwide axe throwing league.
It may appear intimidating at first -- but it’s a lot easier (and safer) than it looks. Tap into your inner Viking and test your skills throwing an axe.
You’re probably thinking “what the heck is fowling?” Well, to put it briefly it’s a mix between bowling and football. The idea is to throw a football to knock over bowling pins of a platform. The game is great for people with a competitive spirit and works perfectly as a part of an outdoor event.
This game is a lot of fun for everyone because throwing a football in fowling isn’t the same as in football. Fowling has its own technique and it’s a lot of fun for beginners to find it for themselves.
Picking up a new sport is a great way to stay in shape and make new friends -- all while having a lot of fun. It could be a weekend kickball league, a pickup game of basketball, rugby, or even fencing. These days, there are plenty of leagues and groups out there for people of all skill levels to start playing a new sport.
For most of us, entering into an actual rodeo would be a bit too much to handle. Can you imagine how sore you’d be the next day? Fortunately, there’s the mechanical bull. We’ve probably all seen one -- at least on TV -- but it’s a lot of fun to try out for real. See if you can last longer than your friends!
Watching movies outdoors puts a whole new spin on a classic activity. This could be an old-fashioned drive-in, a movie at the park, or just bringing your TV to your backyard. You could even try using a projector on the side of your house and make it a neighborhood event.
Regardless of which you choose, an outdoor movie allows you to enjoy the weather while still getting to relax and watch something great.
You don’t have to go camping in an exotic far-off place to go hiking. Local hiking spots are rarely far off. Taking a day trip to go hiking gives you the chance to see all the local nature you’ve been missing. And, of course, it’s great exercise.
If you’ve ever watched American Ninja Warrior, you’ve probably thought about how well you’d do yourself through all the obstacles and challenges. But unless you were in the military, the last time you had to complete an obstacle course you were probably on a field trip in elementary school. That doesn’t mean they’re not for you as an adult.
Today, there a number of great ways for adults and kids to test their agility in an obstacle course. Among the best are courses you can set up at home.
If your memories of Nerf battles as a kid are stained with jammed guns, missing darts, and disappointing range, then you should know: Nerf guns have come a long way over the years. Now, Nerf guns and their accessories are more competitive than ever.
Put on your war paint and gear up -- it’s time for a Nerf war! For this fun game, all you’ll need are enough nerf guns and darts for all the people playing and a safe area to play where things won’t get broken. Divide up players into teams of equal numbers, establish territories and safe zones, and then have at it!
KanJam is a simple and fun game to bring to any party -- or to have available for any nice day outside. The name coming from “garbage can frisbee,” KanJam involves two cans, the size of a kitchen trash can and a frisbee or disk. Players, on teams of two, then attempt to get their frisbee into the other team’s can. Players are allowed to block their opponents' throws -- so a lot of trickery and strategy is required to win this game.
Spikeball (also known as roundnet) is a rapidly growing sport. This fun activity is a net sport with a similar concept to that of volleyball. Like volleyball -- but with a whole new set of challenges. In Spikeball, the net is a small trampoline-like structure laid horizontally and the object is to smack the ball to your opponent back and forth -- until someone misses.
If this game interests you, be sure to look up all the variations of the game -- new ways to play are constantly emerging!
Giant Pong is like beer pong -- only bigger. Instead of solo cups and a ping pong ball, you have setups of trash cans and a volleyball or other type of large sports ball. The drinking is optional but the object is the same: land your ball into all the giant “cups” before your opponents do.
Gaga ball (also sometimes just called ‘Gaga’) is a variation on dodgeball where players stand inside a Gaga pit and attempt to strike each other with the ball. Unlike regular dodgeball, Gaga ball has no teams, and players cannot pick up the ball and throw it. The ball has to be smacked or otherwise bounced at other players below the waist. When you’re hit you go outside the pit -- but if you catch a stray ball from the game you get to jump back in.
Best if you have a field or a large yard, a water balloon launcher will keep the fun going for hours. Simply launching the balloons is fun -- but there are a lot of games to play once you get the hang of it.
For instance, you can pit two launchers against each other on either side of a field. Some more games could be seeing who can launch a balloon the farthest or seeing who can hit different targets placed at varying distances. With some water balloons and little space, this fun activity has loads of potential.
One of the most fun summer activities is getting out on the water for some rafting or tubing. A relaxed ride down the river, or a friendly race, you can choose your level of excitement. It’s the perfect choice for whatever kind of fun day in the sun you’re looking to have.
If you live in Texas and are looking to go rafting, San Marcos has the perfect spot. Once you figure out the right place to get all your rental gear, you’re ready for the summer of a lifetime.
Backyard Fun
Some of the most fun activities are available in your own backyard -- literally. With the right friends, some preparation, and a little imagination you can have a great time in your backyard. Especially now, as more and more rentable equipment is available, planning for fun right at home could be the best option. Here are five ideas to get the backyard fun started:
Right along with baseball, apple pie, and Coca-cola, the backyard barbecue is an essential staple of American culture. If you’ve ever been to one you know why this is: barbecues are a lot of fun.
It may sound basic, but with a grill, portable sound system, and margarita machine you’re already well on your way to a fantastic time. Add a bounce house for the kids and it’s the perfect set-up!
That’s right, climbing a rock wall can be a backyard activity. Today, there are a lot of options for inflatable rock walls that allow you to bring all the fun of climbing to your backyard. Further, these rock walls are generally kid-friendly as you can fall, bounce, and get right back to having fun climbing.
Just be sure to get your inflatable rock wall from a trusted source.
Sure, a regular game of Connect Four outside in your backyard might be a good time -- but a giant game helps add to the novelty and the fun. Make a Giant Connect Four a part of your backyard party and it’ll be sure to add to the good times.
Jenga is all about a delicate and intuitive appreciation for physics. Understanding how the pieces interact with each other and how to move them just right is the key to winning. You may be a master of regular-sized Jenga, but a game of Giant Jenga will test your skills in a whole new way.
Don’t worry, giant Jega won’t bury you under a heap of rubble.
You know the game Kerplunk, right? The game where you see how many sticks you can remove without losing all your marbles. Well, it also comes as a giant backyard game perfect for a fun event or just a night outside with your family.
Fun Team Activities
Whether for a company outing, a church event, or organizational field day, fun team activities can liven an event and bring people together. For adults and kids alike, fun team activities help people bond and develop strategies for working together.
Here are 16 fun team activities to get your group event going.
Tug of war is an age-old team sport that goes as far back as the ancient Egyptians.
It may seem like simply a game of team strength, but, actually, there’s a bit more to it. Tug of war requires that the team strategize on where different team members are best suited. For instance, larger team members are best placed at the ends of the rope rather than towards the center.
When planning your tug of war matches be sure to mix size/strength levels so that the matches stay close to even and interesting.
The sack race (or three-legged race as it’s also called) is one of the most iconic team-building activities because it requires you and a partner to race as a single unit.
If you’ve been living under a rock here’s what it entails. First, you get a large sack that two people can stick one leg into. Then, keeping their legs in the sack, the two people hop as fast as they can to the finish line.
It may look easy, but you’re sure to fall a lot along the way! Don’t worry -- you can just blame all that on your partner.
Red rover is one of the easier games to play when you have a large gathering.
For this game, you have two sides: the wall (a line of people holding hands) and the runners (individual participants). The object is for the runner to break through the wall of people while they hold each other’s hands as tightly as possible to keep from breaking.
If you break through you join the wall -- but, if you’re the one the runner broke through, you have to go back to being a runner. The runners' turns are announced with the famous line “red rover red rover send [name] right over!”
Love it or hate it, dodgeball is one of the best ways to cultivate a fierce team spirit.
In this game, you divide up a field into two sides with a center area where anyone can go. To start the game off you place the balls in the center of the field. When you blow the whistle, the players race to get the balls and bring them back to their side. Then, you know the rest: the players try to get the others out by hitting them with a dodgeball.
There are several variations on the way this game is played -- so be sure to get the rules set straight the way you want them before beginning. For instance, you might want to ban face shots.
Keep in mind -- this game is better played with soft foam balls rather than rubber kick balls.
Jumping rope may be enough of a challenge on its own -- but, with a group, it’s even more challenging. If one person trips on the rope it messes up the whole team. For kids, this offers lessons on the importance of each individual person on a team.
Don’t forget the fun rhymes!
Sometimes called ‘minefield’, this game involves teams of two where one person is blindfolded and has to navigate an obstacle course and the other person has to yell out instructions.
This fun team activity helps participants learn important lessons about trust and clear communication.
This game requires some planning and a little creativity -- but the fun is well worth the effort.
For this game, hide a number of objects for each team to find, These could be anything but are often silly trinkets. Then, give each team their own sets of clues to follow.
This game helps teams cultivate sophisticated problem-solving and coordination. Equally helpful for teams of adults or kids.
Remember when you were a kid and they brought out the big parachute in the gym? Well, the games you played then are still just as fun now. Together, raise up the parachute and take turns running under, switching spots, or whatever else you can think of.
A staple of summer camp and youth group outings, Capture the Flag is a great team-building activity for young teams.
The main goal in Capture the Flag is to capture the other team’s flag and bring it back to your team’s zone. However, once you’re in your opponent team’s zone, they can tag you and send you out of the game.
This game requires a good deal of team strategy and planning and is sure to develop strong team bonds.
A lot like the game Twister, untangling a human knot is all about testing group flexibility and strategic maneuvering. For this game, everyone grabs each other’s hands in a crisscrossed fashion and then, without letting go, untangle.
The relay race is another classic fun team activity we all remember from field days. The object is simple -- pass the baton to your partner and cross the finish line before the other team. Just be sure not to drop the baton!
Pass the Egg is a lot like a relay race except a lot slower and, well, messier. It requires a lot of coordination, a little bit of grace, and some luck too.
For this fun team activity, the object is to carry an egg on a spoon you hold in your mouth and then pass it off to a teammate’s spoon without dropping the egg. If you drop the egg, then you have to go back to the beginning and start over with a new egg.
The wheelbarrow race is a simple game you probably played as a kid. It involves teams of two: one person to hold the other’s legs and the other to pull the pair forward with their arms. It requires coordination between the two participants along with a lot of speed and endurance to win. With this game, you’ll have a lot of fun and one heck of a workout too!
Just as you’d expect from the name, Four-way tug of war is a play on traditional tug of war where you add an additional two teams. This game encompasses all the elements of tug of war while adding new fun elements.
This version of the game requires a different balance of force than the traditional version of the game. Here, not only must you avoid being lurched forward -- but also avoid being pulled from the left and right.
Perfect for a hot summer day, the object of Pass the Water Balloon is simple: pass the water balloon back and forth between you and your partner as many times as you can without the balloon breaking.
Be prepared -- you’ll need a lot of balloons. At first, everyone will probably break their balloons right away -- but as the game progresses participants will get a feel for how to toss and catch the balloon.
Another fun game to play in the summer heat is called “cup-to-cup.” In this game, the object is to pour your water from your cup to the next cup. The challenge is you have to pour the water backward over the back of your shoulder. Give it a try -- it’s a lot more challenging than it sounds!
Fun Indoor activities
Associated with rainy days, bumming around, and vitamin D deficiency, having fun indoors gets a bad rap. But there are a lot of underrated, fun activities to be had in the great indoors.
If you’re looking to have fun inside here are 12 ideas to prime your imagination and to start having creative fun indoors.
We don’t often consider the great fun that’s to be had inside, but -- with a little imagination and creativity -- there’s a lot of fun in the great indoors.
If you don’t know where to start, you can get to simply rummaging through the things you don’t often look at. This could be going through boxes of old belongings, looking at family pictures, just diving into those boxes in the attic. Once you get started, you’ll be amazed at how time flies.
Do battle with your friends; explore the depths of the ocean; pilot a spacecraft. With virtual reality, you can do all this and more -- right at home.
With the advent of better and better VR headsets, virtual reality is more accessible than ever. With VR headsets like Occulus, you only need an internet connection and a few friends to have a fun party.
Whether it’s because the weather isn’t permitting, you don’t have much time, or simply because it’s a headache -- sometimes you just can’t get outside. All this makes camping inside with your kids a fun idea.
It may seem strange at first, but you’d be surprised at how much fun your kids will have pretended to go camping while staying inside. You can cook smores over the stove, set up a tent in the living room, invite others over, play games, and turn off the lights to tell ghost stories.
So everybody knows that you can sit and watch TV while staying home. With so many streaming services around, you can always find something to watch. But most don’t think to plan their own film festival.
It doesn’t have to be elaborate -- just think of a theme (e.g. comedy, sci-fi, adventure, etc.) and consider the best movies it has to offer. You don’t have to come up with them all yourself either -- ask whoever is joining what to add. Then, invite your friends, make some popcorn and get watching.
Hide and seek is an underrated indoor game. It doesn’t require any running or jumping yet is exciting and can keep kids occupied for hours. It can be even more fun if you take it up a notch.
By setting up a little, you can create far more hiding spots throughout the house. You can put up curtains, rearrange small furniture, and clear out new hiding spots. All this will make it harder to spot hiders and makes for a much more interesting game. Just be sure to set up boundaries and establish a set of rules!
Some good wine, a few nice dishes, great friends. Dinner parties are a lot of fun and relatively simple as far as parties go. And unlike gathering at restaurants, you can keep your friends over without feeling the need to leave right after eating.
Besides, you’ll finally get to share all those anecdotes that have been on your mind.
Few things are more associated with a good time than dancing. But we tend to associate dancing with going out somewhere with expensive drinks -- this doesn’t have to be. Instead, you can have plenty of fun practicing your dance moves right at home.
Clear out some space in your living room, set up your best speakers, and start playing your favorite dance tracks. And don’t forget to invite your friends! It may feel awkward at first -- but soon you’re having a great time.
The great thing about baking is that it’s an activity with a reward -- especially if you have a sweet tooth. You don’t have to make something worthy of the Great British Bake-off, you can make simple treats like cookies or cupcakes.
Baking gives you a tasty sweet snack and plus your home will smell great afterward -- what’s not to love?
They may seem antiquated, but board games and other tabletop games are making a big comeback right now. Which makes sense -- they’re a ton of fun!
A game night allows you to have fun and connect with your family without having everything mediated by a screen. Today, there are games out there for everyone -- so if you don’t like the games you have there are sure to be ones out there that’ll be fun for the whole family.
Turning milk into plastic; building a Da Vinci bridge; discovering the density of cold v. hot water; there are a lot of fun science experiments to try at home. Not only are these experiments fun -- but they teach your kids valuable things and spark their curiosity. Just be sure to be safe and take precautions!
There’s nothing like a rainy day to give you an excuse to get creative and make art.
You can go all out and get lots of supplies -- or you can keep it simple and just draw on some paper or make a collage. If you’re looking to entertain your kids, they’ll love finger painting.
Does someone know a great joke or have a poem they want to share? Perhaps someone has been waiting to show off their singing voice or their guitar skills. These are all great reasons to host an open mic night right at home. Don’t worry, you don’t need an actual microphone -- only friends with some talent to share.
Fun nights out
When we stick around one or two locations too long it gets boring -- no matter how hard we try to have fun. Sometimes, fun is all about arriving at a new and exciting location; somewhere where you can feel the excitement pulsing around you.
Here are a couple of ideas for places to visit for your next night out:
Classics tend to be classics for a reason and bowling is no exception. Get your family or friends out for a classic fun night of bowling. See if you can beat your best score while drinking in the familiar bowling sights, sounds, and smells.
You may want to race that guy driving next to you on your morning commute to the office, but you know it would probably end in a ticket. Indoor karting is the perfect opportunity to let out that urge to cut off a competitor and zoom across a finish line.
Enhancing your fun activities
So, sure, there are a lot of different ways to have fun. Some people like adventure outside, some people like relaxing indoor activities, and there are some people for everything in between. But, for every fun activity, there’s a way to liven up the experience. Here are four ways to enhance your fun for different occasions.
No party is complete without decorations and marquee letters are a must-have decoration. Marquee letters are great for any fun occasion. Set up the letters for photoshoots, to direct people to the right spots, or just for fun!
Whether you’re throwing the biggest party of your life or hosting a small get-together in your backyard, no event is complete without the right music. What memorable party didn’t have music?
But unless you’re always hosting events you’re unlikely to have the perfect sound system for the event. Fortunately, portable sound systems are easy and affordable to rent.
Setting the scene and getting the ambiance just right for the fun you want to have is all about the lighting. Of course, most of us don’t have fun lighting sitting around waiting. Fortunately, you now can rent disco lights without a hassle.
Sure, you could spend all that time and energy blowing bubbles -- but, with a bubble machine, they’ll just keep on coming.
For any outdoor fun, a bubble machine is going to add a whimsical element both kids and adults will love. It’s a perfect way to add a layer of fun without much extra cleanup or fuss.
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